Brits spend a decade watching TV in lifetime

New research from Freeview, the UK’s biggest TV platform, has revealed that the average Brit spends 8.8 years over the course of a lifetime watching their favourite shows.

Additionally, the average Brit has at least five series that they’re keeping up with and tuning into. The TV juggle is real and with busy work and social lives, it’s no surprise that most (86%) of us use catch up services to watch our favourite shows at a time that best suits us.

But, the only downside to watching your favourite shows via a catch up service such as Freeview Play is missing out on chatting with friends and colleagues about your favourite show and being left desperate to speak about the gripping, cliff-hanger storylines or trying to avoid spoilers from colleagues who have already seen the episode you haven’t seen.

Freeview has come to the rescue by launching The Freeview Catch Up Hotline.

From Wednesday, May 18, viewers who have chosen not to watch their favourite shows live and are missing out on the fun of talking about them with friends and family can do so by calling the hotline anytime on 08001337562.

When polled, 66% admitted TV as their favourite topic of conversation and the average Brit spends at least 15 minutes a day speaking with colleagues, friends and family about plot lines, TV characters and ‘watercooler’ moments. But we go out of our way to make sure we avoid spoilers if we haven’t watched our favourite shows live, with more than half of us not using social media to make sure we don’t accidentally find out what’s happened.

Freeview’s, Managing Director, Guy North commented: “Freeview Play allows viewers to enjoy their favourite programmes at a time that suits them. But with so many great shows out there at the moment we don’t want people not to be able to share their thoughts on their top TV just because they’re not watching it live.

“This dedicated hotline means they can chat at their leisure regardless of what episode they’re watching.”

Freeview’s catch up service, Freeview Play allows viewers to watch their favourite shows from the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 at their own convenience and all without a monthly subscription. The Freeview Catch Up Hotline runs from May 18 to May 24 on 08001337562 and is free to call.

Commenting on the research results, Media Psychologist Honey Langcaster-James said: “Watching TV has traditionally been considered to be an unsociable activity. However, this survey shows that TV remains an important part of our lives partly because it helps bond us together with friends and family. The research reveals that a large part of our enjoyment in watching TV is talking about it with others, but due to our busy lifestyles and the growing number of people living alone or working at odd times, this isn’t always possible. So Freeview has launched a Catch Up Hotline to encourage people to live their lives, yet ensuring that viewers still have someone to speak to at leisure when they want to chat about those big TV moments.”